2016

I looked down at the two silver rings on my left ring finger. The first one, an engament ring, had been there for almost two years. It had a squareshape without any diamonds, just plain and simple. The second one, a wedding ring, had only been there about a month and a half. That ring did have some bling but still simple to match the engament ring. It felt surreal, I am married. How did that happen? When I was in high school I vowed I wouldnt get married or have kids. But here I am, married, and now I cant wait to start a family of my own with the person I love the most in this world. I looked over to my right side and I saw my wife sleeping. I couldn't stop the smile that started to spread on my lips. Sometimes she could sleep in the weirdest positions. Quite often I think back to when we met. It's not what you would call a love story. But it's our love story.

2011

When I stepped inside, my mom greeted me with a hug. I had missed her while I was away. I loved my mom, but we didn't get along. We fought everyday, I guess most of it is my fault since I'm pretty much always angry when I'm at home. I always stayed in my room in front of my computer. I had been on vacation with my dad and new wife, (actually, they had been married almost 10 years, so she wasn't so new anymore) and her parents. We had been to Mallorca for a week. It was amazing, it was the first time I was out of the country and the first time I was on a plane. But I'm back to real life again and, soon, back to school. I do like school and I'm looking forward to go back to my old routine. A usual day for me is getting up in the morning, getting ready and eating breakfast, then going to school. I'm happy at school, I get away from my mom and the constant figthing and I get to see my friends. My mom wanted to talk about my trip more than I wanted. I stayed out in the kitchen for a few hours talking and eating before I went to my room.

The first thing I did was turn on my computer. I had barely checked facebook or anything else when I was away. A few years ago I had joined this LGBTQ community, so I could meet others like me. Lesbians. I've never liked that word, I prefer to say gay or that I like girls. Not that I'm telling people. I will when I'm ready. When I was logged in I had two new messages. It was often I would get messages from nasty old men asking if I want to have sex with them. Hell no! This time though it wasn't from any old man. The first one I had received the day after I left for my vacation. It was from a girl I had had some contact with before I left. She was a year younger than me. Sure she was cute but we didn't have much in common and the messages weren't long either. The other message I got was from someone new. I looked at her profile, she was cute, I liked the way she presented herself. I had to write her back.

Days passed. Not long after I had replied to that second girl we switched phone numbers and now we texted each other everyday all day. Too soon it was time to go back to school. But I was happy to see my friends again. I hadn't had the chance to see them much this summer. We are a small group of friends, but I don't need more than that.

First there's Jasper, the only guy in the group. He's tall and skinny and everyone that meets him ask us if he's gay. We just say no. I mean, my gaydar went off the first time I met him too and he totally looks like a closeted gayman. We all think he is gay but since he hasn't come out to us yet we tell people that he isn't gay. He's a little nerdy but he HAS confidence.

Then there's Sophia, she moved here from New York in seventh grade. We went to the same school but we never talked. I barely heard her talk. Sophia is shy, but when you get to know her she's one of the funniest people you will ever meet. She's a vegetarian and really into a healty lifestyle. She had to re-do fifth grade so she's a year older than us. But who cares.

Next we have Isabella, but we call her Bella. She has gotten so used to it that sometimes when a teacher calls her Isabella, she doesn't even respond. It feels weird to call her Isabella, I have actually never done that. To me, she's Bella. She's been with her boyfriend since she was 13 and she's is the only one that knows about my secret.

Lastly there's me. I'm the kind of person that says whatever comes to mind. Talk first think later is my motto. I don't like being the center of attention but I'm not afraid to point people out, if I'm gonna talk about a certain person, good or bad, I talk first and then look to see if that person is near. My motto, talk first think later. I don't care if people talk about, or if they stare at me. Well mostly I don't care, I just care about my secret not being spread around school. My secret? I like girls. Im not ready to come out yet. The only person that know is Bella, and she guessed. I'm pretty sure Jasper and Sophia knows too but they haven't said anything. I'll tell them when I'm ready. When it comes to telling my parents, I dont think I'll ever be ready for that. When I first figured out that I liked girls, I decided I would tell my parents when there is something to tell them about. Like a girlfriend. I've never had one, too scared to talk to girls because most of the time I have no idea if they're into girls or not. I feel more comfortable talking to them in writing, and that is why texting is the best invention.

As soon as I walked through the doors and into the hallway I was pulled in too a bone-crushing hug. I felt a familiar scent and I knew exactly who it was. The person pulled away and I got too see my best friend whom I hadn't seen in almost two months.

"Oh my god! I've missed you so so so much!" Bella said. She pulled me in toanother hug. "I don't ever want to be apart from you again"

"I missed you too, you have no idea how much." I said as we pulled out of the hug. "Have you seen Jasper and Sophia yet?" I asked. I had missed them too and couldn't wait until the four of us were reunited again. We all became friends our freshman year. I had met Bella first period, which had been math. We sat next to each other and right away became friends, it was like we had known each other for years. Next I met Sophia, since we had gone to the same school before I recogonized her, she and Bella shared a class and the three of us ate lunch together the first day and since then we had been friends. Jasper didn't come in to our group until after christmas break. I had seen him around, we had history, biology and spanish together. He had always been alone, walking by himself in the hallways and he never ate in the cafeteria. School had started again after the break and me, Bella and Sophia were on our way to eat lunch when I saw him in the hallway, alone. I felt sorry for him so I asked if he was going to eat lunch in the cafeteria and he responded that he was just gonna go to the library, where he always ate his lunch. I wasn't gonna let him eat alone anymore so I said something like "Fuck the library, you are coming with us to eat". I think he mostly tagged along cause he got scared, but it didn't matter cause after that lunch was sacred to us. We always have a lot of fun together, we sometimes get into arguments about stuff and Jasper and I fight like an old married couple. But it always ends with all of us laughing together and having a blast.

"Yeah I have, they're at your locker wating for us" Bella said.

We walked down the hallway to where my locker was, the hallway was packed with students. Everyone wanted to say hi to all the people they hadn't seen all summer and there were also the freshmans who had no idea where they were supposed to go and most of them just stood there looking confused. When we approached my locker, I could hear Jasper telling Sophia about his summer. It sounded like he had had a good one. When Bella and I got closer and we could see them, Jasper looked our way. He pulled me into a hug, not as hard as the one I had gotten from Bella, but it was firm and warm. I had to stand on my toes to hug him properly, because he was very tall.

"I've missed you guys" I said and hugged Sophia.

"We've missed you too" Sophia said.

"I dont know if I've missed you in particular. But I have missed your humour" Jasper said and started to laugh. We were all so close that we could make a joke about anyone of us and no one would take it personal. We would laugh and say something back.

"I knew you were just using me for my funny jokes and comments. Well I'm only friends with you because your height may come in handy when I can't reach stuff that's up high" I joked back. Jasper had definitely became a friend I new I would have for the rest of my life. Both Bella and Sophia as well of course. No matter where we would end up next year. "I can't believe this is our senior year." I said sadly.

"I know, it feels like yesterday I walked through those doors for the first time." Sophia said and pulled out her books from her locker that were right next to mine.

"We have to make sure this year will be a memorable year for us. A year we will look back on when we are old and grey. A year we talk about when we have out monthly hangout next year" Jasper sounded motivated to make this year the best one so far.

"Yeah, absolutely! I'm in" Bella said with a huge smile.

Sophia closed her locker and turned around. "Me too. Sure I can't wait to start college, but I have been waiting a year more than the three of you. But this year will be epic for us"

They looked at me waiting for my answer. "What about you Santana? Are you in for an epic, awesome and memorable year?" Jasper asked. He already knew my answer, they all did. They knew I wasn't one to pass on something I would be remembering forever.

"Hell yeah I'm in!" Right then the bell rang and we had to go to class. Bella and Sophia went to the gym as they had P.E first period. Jasper and I went in the opposite direction, our first period we had history. We didnt have to make plans about lunch, it was an unspoken rule that we always had lunch together.

When Jasper and I sat down my phoned beeped. I pulled it out of my pocket, it was a text from the girl I hade been talking to for almost two months now. She was funny and she understood me. Jasper tried to me smooth about sneaking a peek on my phone but I saw him do it and I turned to him so he wouldnt see the text.

"Who was that from?" He asked. I could see on his face that he saw it was from a girl.

"Oh, just this.. Uhm... this person I met during summer" I had started to write a reply, so I wasn't prepared for it when Jasper snatched the phone out of hands. "Hey! What the fuck Jasper, give it back!"

"Let's see what we got here" he said. I tried to reach for it but his arms were to long.

"Please give it back" I pleaded. I knew he wouldn't care of the fact I like girls, but it was a sensetive subject. Coming out is difficult. I could see it on his that he had figured it out by reading the texts between me and this girl. "Can I have it back now?"

"I'm sorry" he sounded sincere. "I'm not surprised actually. I had a feeling, but why haven't you told me? I'm one of your best friends, don't you trust me?" now he sounded sad.

"Of course I trust you Jasper. All three of you. But this kind of thing is hard even admitting to myself and this summer I fully admitted it." I whispered.

"I understand that."

"Yeah you of all people should" I said, a smile creeping on my face.

"You know?" he asked and looked around him to make sure nobody was listening to out conversation.

"Yeah. Bella and Sophie knows too. We've pretty much known since freshman year."

"Oh. I didn't think it was that obvious"

"You are who you are. Embrace it" I said and stroked him on the arm.

"I could say the same thing to you" he said pointing at my phone.

"I am. At least I'm trying"

Jasper opened his mouth and was just about to say something when out teacher walked in. We looked at each other and silently said that we hadn't finished talking. How had I been so lucky to have such awesome friends? They accepted me for who I truly am. I thought about telling my mom, but it scared me. I didn't think she would be too happy about it.